Author(s)

Jon Stone

It’s amazing to see the impact that just a few dollars can have on the lives of so many. Victims of gender-based violence have been helped by the CAPE Survivor Fund. DU students have conducted research and contributed to humanitarian efforts in Cuba, Guatemala, Denmark, India and Nepal. And more than 3,000 students from Denver Public Schools have experienced DU’s Newman Center for the Performing Arts via a student matinee series.

These are just some examples of how One Day for DU — the University’s annual initiative to support and build awareness for meaningful causes spanning the entire institution — benefited students, faculty, staff and the DU community in 2017.

“The impact of One Day for DU goes well beyond the numbers,” says Mike Garvey, assistant director for annual giving. “Every contribution goes to benefit programs, internships, grants and partnerships that not only make a difference in the education of our students, but have a large impact on our community.”

Last year, about 2,200 donors helped raise more than $400,000 for 28 featured crowdfunding projects and other donor-specified impact areas. For today’s 24-hour crowdfunding effort, the University has featured 32 meaningful causes for donors to support. The projects are aligned with the University’s strategic plan, DU IMPACT 2025.

All the projects fall under nine general categories:

Arts

Athletics & Recreation

Business & Entrepreneurship

Children & Families

Environment & Health

Leadership

One DU Initiatives

Student Resources & Support

Veteran Support

“We have a very comprehensive list of projects that allows people to support projects or causes that are the most meaningful to them,” Garvey says. “It’s gratifying to know that everyone who is part of the DU community — alumni, students, parents, faculty and staff — can make a difference with programs that are impacting our world.”

One such program is MotherWise. Created by Galena Rhoades, a research associate professor in the Department of Psychology, MotherWise is a six-week program that focuses on an expecting or new mother’s relationships and helps her think through what she wants those relationships to look like after the baby’s arrival. The program is also part of a research study to determine if it can help improve birth outcomes, reduce maternal stress and improve long-term family stability and the quality of family relationships. Since starting in 2016, MotherWise has helped more than 330 mothers in the Denver area.

Another program seeking crowdfunding is the Musical Explorers Program through the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. The pilot program will help Denver youngsters in kindergarten through second-grade explore a diverse range of musical genres found in their neighborhoods.

To find out more about all 32 One Day for DU programs and to learn how you can make an impact, please click here.